Coming Up with Good Questions
TEKS Objective
The student is expected to ask questions about organisms, objects, and events during observations and investigations.
Essential Understanding
The student develops abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry in classroom and outdoor investigations.
Science Background
Information About the Process of Scientific Inquiry: National Institutes of Health Science Education (website) - Scroll to section 6.2, “Scientifically Testable Questions,” for an definition of “testable question” and tips for incorporating effective questioning techniques into inquiry science instruction.
Science Fair Central: Discovery Education (website) - Explanation of testable questions and their critical role to scientific investigation, with examples of test questions related to a variety of potential elementary school activities.
Science Fair Central
Discovery Education, www.discoveryeducation.com
Signature Lesson
Working with Questions: National Institutes of Health Science Education (website) - Students learn what makes questions testable. Then they read short scenarios, devise and ask their own testable questions about what they have read, and identify types of evidence needed to answer their investigation questions.
Working with Questions
National Institutes of Health Science Education, science.education.nih.gov
Student worksheets for this activity can be downloaded at the link below.
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
Using Testable Questions to Teach Motion and Forces: NSTA (website) - This article uses an activity on force and motion to illustrate how the “Activity Before Concept” method of science inquiry can help students understand the concept of testable questions, and to write, use and answer testable questions of their own.
TEKS Navigation
Grade 2
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